This rather epic survey from the Cabinet Office Japan will be split into multiple parts and posted over the next few days. Here they looked at awareness of society, covering four main areas of country and society, the state of society today, evaluation of government, and how society works. A translation of a similar survey from last year may be found here and two years ago is here.

Demographics

10,000 people aged 20 or older were randomly selected from the entire Japanese population to take part in the survey. From that group, 5,494 people agreed to take part in face-to-face interviews conducted between the 7th and 24th of February 2008. 53.8% of the sample was female, 8.1% in their twenties, 15.3% in their thirties, 15.8% in their forties, 21.3% in their fifties, 21.9% in their sixties, 16.5% in their seventies, and 3.1% aged eighty or older. 74.7% were married, 11.8% were divorced or widowed, and 13.5% were unmarried.

Q6 and Q7 are a pretty depressing pair of statistics, with only peace showing any degree of optimism, but social breakdown bearing down on many people. Also, Q8 shows that people are more proud of the past rather than the present Japan.

Research results

Q6: Which of the following light images apply to the current social situation? (Sample size=5,494, multiple answer)

Peace

53.9%

Safety

17.1%

Consideration

10.8%

Sense of personal accountability

9.1%

Bright

8.6%

Room to breathe

8.0%

Zing

6.5%

Sense of community

4.4%

Other

0.3%

Nothing in particular

23.4%

Don’t know

1.7%

Q7: Which of the following dark images apply to the current social situation? (Sample size=5,494, multiple answer)

Strong tide of irresponsility

55.6%

Selfishness

47.5%

No room to breathe

37.3%

Scant sense of community

32.6%

Lack of safety, lots of irritation

29.8%

No zing

21.9%

Frivolity and flippancy

18.8%

Dark

12.1%

Other

0.7%

Nothing in particular

2.2%

Don’t know

0.9%

Q8: Which of the following aspects of Japan or the Japanese can you be proud of? (Sample size=5,494, multiple answer)

Long history and traditions

48.1%

Beautiful nature

46.6%

Illustrious culture and arts

44.9%

Good public order

30.1%

Citizens’ studiousness, talent

28.1%

Free and peaceful society

27.0%

Citizens’ humanity, sense of duty

22.2%

High scientific, technical standards

22.0%

High educational standards

13.4%

Economic prosperity

10.2%

Safe society

10.0%

Cohesiveness of the citizenry

4.3%

Other

0.1%

Nothing, don’t know

4.5%

Q9: Which of the following aspects of today’s society are you satisfied with? (Sample size=5,494, multiple answer)

High quality living environment

29.0%

Maintenance of physical and mental health

18.9%

Easy for women to aspire to be successful in society

18.8%

Easy to express one’s desire of learning, one’s ambitions

16.9%

Easy to select working style

16.5%

Easy to mutually relate to people

13.6%

Easy for middle-aged and older people to be involved in society

12.3%

Easy to find opportunities

8.2%

Easy to bring up children in the family

6.4%

Having financial room to breathe

5.0%

Easy for young people to strive towards being independent in society

3.4%

Other

0.3%

Nothing in particular

26.0%

Don’t know

2.4%

Q10: Which of the following aspects of today’s society are you not satisfied with? (Sample size=5,494, multiple answer)

Having financial room to breathe

42.4%

Easy to bring up children in the family

32.1%

Easy for young people to strive towards being independent in society

31.6%

Easy for middle-aged and older people to be involved in society

26.8%

Easy to select working style

20.6%

Easy for women to aspire to be successful in society

18.3%

Easy to find opportunities

13.6%

Easy to mutually relate to people

16.1%

High quality living environment

13.4%

Maintenance of physical and mental health

13.0%

Easy to express one’s desire of learning, one’s ambitions

9.2%

Other

1.6%

Nothing in particular

9.7%

Don’t know

2.5%

Q11: Are you satisfied with the current level of public services available? (Sample size=5,494)

Satisfied

7.4%

Somewhat satisfied

30.4%

Can’t say either way

30.4%

Somewhat dissatisfied

21.3%

Dissatisfied

8.4%

Don’t know

2.1%

Q12: What do you think about the following opinions regarding public services?

Q12A: Certain public services should be privatised. (Sample size=5,494)

Think so

34.7%

Perhaps think so

35.7%

Perhaps don’t think so

14.1%

Don’t think so

8.5%

Don’t know

7.0%

Q12B: Certain public services should be run by NPOs (Non-profit organisations) or volunteer groups. (Sample size=5,494)